Frozen Passions
by Boondock Jake
Summary: Ratchet and Clank are stranded at Angela's estate during a snowstorm and have to spend the night. As the storm rages on outside, a different kind rages between the two Lombaxes as old feelings are not so easily forgotten.


_A/N: Taking a small break from Exploding Sheep to write this. Didn't plan on writing it but there just isn't enough Ratchet/Angela fics and I wanted to add a little more to it. I ignored all the Max Apogee stuff as I wanted to keep this short and didn't feel like coming up with a long winded explanation. It would serve no real meaning to the story anyways._

_Just a heads up; this gets a little **racy** at some point but nothing gratuitous or severely inappropriate. I wanted a solid and passionate fic with these two so I hope I did alright. Enjoy!_

_Ratchet, Clank, and Angela belong to Insominiac._

* * *

**Frozen Passions**

"Are you certain, Ratchet?"

"Of course I am! Look at it! It's not rocket science. Now the new thrusters we hooked up to the ship's nitro matrix, _that's_ rocket science. Besides, we have an almost identical one back on Veldin."

"That does not necessarily mean it is the same."

"A hundred bolts say it's going to work."

"I have won the last five wages you have insisted upon, Ratchet. I do not feel comfortable taking money from you so often."

"Oh har-har. Just keep the light steady, Clank."

Angela could not help but snicker in the dark as she observed the humorous exchange between the two long-time friends. They were more like brothers when she really thought about it. She shivered fiercely and pulled the blanket she had wrapped around her body like a second skin tighter. From outside she could hear the fierce winds of a Grelbin snow storm howl louder than any Arctic Leviathan and the mere sound of it made the house feel colder by the second.

"Any time now, boys," she called down to the pair just below her. Ratchet grunted in response as he tinkered around with some wires and cables connected to a dimly lit generator located under a floor panel in her main hallway. The male Lombax stuck his tongue out in concentration as he gently twisted two exposed wires together.

"Easy…easy…okay. That should do it," he exclaimed. Sitting back on his knees, he looked up at Angela, his face somewhat shadowed by the partial light of Clank's flashlight. "Here we go," he said with a smile.

Angela felt her own lips pull up into a grin in the darkness. Whether or not he could see it, she had no idea. Ratchet flipped a knob on the generator and the device suddenly brightened and came to life with a soft hum. There was a flickering of light above them and suddenly the entire house became illuminated. A low and stuttering growl came from the vents and Angela could feel heat being pumped through them once again.

"You did it!" she laughed with glee. Ratchet crossed his arms and offered a smug and confident look.

"As if there was any doubt."

As soon as the words tumbled out from his mouth, the generator beside him suddenly let loose with a display of sparks, causing him to fall over backwards in surprise. Warm air that was delightfully filling the young woman's home came to a stop and the lights flickered and they were engulfed in blackness once more. There was a silence that lingered between them until a gentle metallic voice spoke up.

"I believe your re-wiring blew the generator."

"Thanks for pointing that out, Clank," Ratchet grumbled, climbing to his feet. He studied the generator for a moment, tapping his chin in thought. He gave the machine a swift kick with his boot but yielded no success. Ratchet looked back up at Angela again, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "Well there's good news and bad news. The good news is that I fixed the generator! The bad news is that I fixed it a little too well."

"It appears so," she responded with chuckle. Ratchet sighed as he grabbed the flashlight from Clank and climbed out of the compartment.

"I'm really sorry, Angela. I must have crossed the wrong circuit."

"It's okay, Ratchet," she assured him. "I'm thankful you came all the way here just to help me with this stupid thing. I know how busy you are."

"It's no problem at all. Right, Clank?"

"Affirmative," the little robot concurred. "We are always more than happy to assist our friends."

Ratchet beamed a bright smile at her to emphasize their point and Angela couldn't resist returning it. The other Lombax had that effect on her. Ratchet took off his cap and scratched his head fur, long ears folding down in the process.

"In any case that thing's pretty much toast. I can run to Megapolis and grab a new one for you."

"I can't ask that of you this late. You guys have done enough for me tonight," Angela told him.

"Are you sure? It's really no trouble."

Angela reached from underneath her blanket with a hand and squeezed his arm. "I'm sure, Ratchet. You guys go home and get some sleep."

"Well…okay. But I don't feel right leaving you here like this. It's freezing in here," Ratchet stated, giving her a worried look.

Angela shook her head softly, her ponytail dancing from side to side. "Believe me, it's fine. This isn't the first time this had happened."

"Fine. I know you're a big girl," he replied with another one of his goofy smiles. Angela laughed and gave him a playful push. Ratchet snickered to himself and turned to find his robotic friend but he was suddenly absent. "Clank?" Ratchet called out, looking around. Both Lombaxes stumbled around in the dark, looking for the A.I. unit until they found him standing in front of Angela's living room window.

"Oh, dear," he said as the others joined him.

Outside, the snow storm had picked up, a blizzard of snow hailing down without mercy on the planet's already frozen surface. Ratchet whistled, placing his hands on his hips.

"That's a hell of a storm."

"Indeed. Are storms of this magnitude common, Miss Cross?" Clank asked, his bright green optics rising up to meet the woman's blue irises. Angela nodded and shivered again.

"Yeah, they usually hit once or twice a month but they can be bad."

"Ratchet," Clank addressed his friend, causing the other Lombax to look down.

"Yeah, pal?"

"I think it would be unwise to try and pilot our ship through such a violent event of weather."

"I've handled worse," Ratchet snorted with a flick of his tail.

"If you are referring to the short cut through the asteroid field you flew into last month, we are still paying for the new Gravitron Auxiliary Drive that was damaged," Clank pointed out.

"Oh, yeah. Maybe flying isn't the best idea," Ratchet mused as the events that Clank had described came rushing back to him.

Angela giggled and took the flashlight from Ratchet. "I'll get some blankets and you can crash on the couch."

"We hope we are not an inconvenience," Clank said, concern reflecting in his voice.

"Of course not!" Angela called back from somewhere in the dark. She reappeared with a bundle of sheets in her arms and placed them on a nearby couch. "I hope these are warm enough for you. They're pretty thick but it can get colder if that storm lasts all night."

"I'm sure it will be fine. Thanks, Angela. We really appreciate this," Ratchet told her with an earnest smile. Angela adverted her eyes down to her feet, unable to hold his gaze or the heat that radiated from his smile.

"It's…It's no problem," she said softly. "Well…I'm going to bed. I guess I'll see you boys in the morning."

"Sure thing. Sweet dreams," Ratchet yawned, sitting down on the couch.

"Have a pleasant rest, Miss Cross," Clank bowed to her. Angela offered them one last smile before disappearing down the hall and into her own room where the sound of a door hissing shut could be heard.

Ratchet's ears twisted in the dark, reacting to the howls of the weather outside. He looked over to his friend who was settling down on a spot on the floor to power down for the night. Ratchet found himself looking back to where Angela had vanished, despite not knowing exactly where that was with the absence of light. His head swiveled back to Clank who began to retract his arms and legs into the position he was most recognizable when strapped to the Lombax's back.

"Clank?" Ratchet called out in the dark. The bright green lights that were Clank's eyes opened wide and turned towards him.

"Yes, Ratchet?"

"What do think of Angela?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"What do think of her?" he repeated. "It's been a while since I've…_we've_ seen her. Back when we left for Solana to fight Dr. Nefarious. That was five years ago. What do you think of her now?"

"I believe that Miss Cross is the same as I remember her. Intelligent, friendly, polite, a bit clumsy sometimes, and a good friend to us," Clank told him.

"That's not exactly what I meant," Ratchet sighed, leaning back into the couch. He felt a shiver go up his spine as the cushions were chilling to the touch already. Clank's optics slid to an angle that suggested he was tilting his head at him in confusion.

"I am afraid I do not understand, Ratchet. What is it exactly you wish me to say?"

Ratchet began to answer the little bot but he quickly ceased any effort to do so, shaking his head to himself. "Nothing. Just…it's good to see her again, right?"

"Yes it is. We should see her more often."

"Yeah…"

"If that is all, Ratchet, then I believe I will power down for the night," Clank said.

"Sure, pal. See you in the morning," Ratchet answered in the cold abyss.

The glow from Clank's optics slowly disappeared as he powered down and the Lombax found himself sitting in silence. He remained where he was for a moment, his tail lightly swaying from side to side and his eyes focused on nothing but black. With an inward sigh, he removed his boots and grabbed the pair of blankets to his left. Wrapping himself in the sheets provided some immediate warmth but the cold still managed to cut through it. Ratchet shrugged it off and curled up on his side, nestling into the cushions. As he did, he found his ears swiveling towards the direction of Angela's bedroom door as if to anticipate her re-emergence. Immediately the face of the female Lombax entered his mind and he felt a surge of warmth spread from his chest down to his stomach.

That beautiful smiling face.

Angela Cross.

Ratchet turned onto his back, staring up into nothing as memories filled his head from years past. Clank had been right in his recollection of the long haired Lombax. She was as he remembered her. Her delicate laugh, strong willed determination, and piercing onyx eyes that seemed to bore through his very soul. Like him, she too possessed a strong urge for adventure and adrenaline. Ratchet had no doubts that a small part of her got off on the rush of being a wanted fugitive for a while.

Angela had a good nature about her that was rare to see, at least to him. She never worried about dressing a certain way or maintaining a certain look much like himself. She was content with just being her and not something else. Ratchet liked that. He liked that very much.

She didn't take herself very seriously and often swapped jokes at each other's expense. If Ratchet ever offended her, which he hoped he never had, she didn't show it. Angela would laugh it off and offer him a smile that often made him forget about any problems that were on his mind. She was...incredible.

And yes, very clumsy still.

Ratchet smirked to himself and breathed through his nose hard. Angela Cross was an exquisite creature, no doubt about it. Beauty, brains and a little flawed that made her unique.

Not like Sasha.

Ratchet felt himself grimace at the sudden thought of the Cazarian and the planet sized amount of issues that came with it. As much as he didn't want to compare the two women, he found it exceedingly difficult not to.

Sasha Phyronix.

Another woman who, like Angela, graced the universe with her beauty and intellect. Brave, passionate and endearing, she could grab hold of any space adventurer's attention and keep it for as long as she wanted. A dazzling coat of fur that shone like silk and strawberry red lips that teased your every wanting's and desires when she smiled at you. Ratchet knew all too well as a night on the _Starship Phoenix_ replayed in his mind with the images of wild thrashing and the sounds of passionate grunts and screams of pleasure. It was a memory he was often fond of but as time passed, it became just another memory and nothing more.

Beautiful, kind, and professional. This was the Sasha he remembered. But it was unfortunate that the last trait was what he remembered most.

Formal greetings and constant political mingling's were a common occurrence once her father started to groom her to become the next Mayor of Metropolis. He had to wear a suit to every outing and put on displays of public affection as her press staff so often suggested. Make her see like wholesome honest woman, which she was, with a 'regular' boyfriend. Ratchet had no issues showing his feelings for her but to be forced like that made it seem...fake. It made little difference in the end as she won with little opposition against her.

Problems quickly arose as she began her term. She was constantly busy and the time they spent together out of the public eye began to dwindle. She wanted him to start acting a certain way, grown up as she put it and retire from space exploration. Most of the time Sasha didn't even seemed phased by the fact that they were growing further and further apart.

To make matters worse, her father never liked Ratchet and he could say the same for him. The Galactic President was never fond of his daughter dating an 'intergalactic mercenary'. Ratchet was never fond of a president who ignored the cries of help from planets in need and catered to the rich industrial ones. This happened to be the last straw in the Lombax and Cazarian's relationship.

Sasha was no longer the woman he knew. She was a shell of her former self where business became more important than a person.

Not like Angela.

No. Angela had not changed and he soon discovered that after rekindling their friendship over the past year, some old feelings had not changed either.

Ratchet rolled his shoulders in an attempt to shrug off his thoughts and emotions and settled his arms behind his head, closing his eyes. He should really get some sleep and lying here thinking about the failures of his love life were not helping the matter. The Lombax curled his toes into the blanket as another shiver ran through his body from the cold. Ratchet tried to focus his thoughts on something warm but began to stray back to the occupant in the room just a few feet away.

She appeared in the darkness of his mind as clear as daylight. Flipping back her ponytail that hung over her shoulder, she flashed him a grin that was nothing short of devious and predatory. Her attire, the standard Megacorp flight suit he had seen her in over a hundred times, was present and just like in reality, made him bite his bottom lip. The fabric clung to her body like a second skin that displayed every amazing curve and outline of her slender and athletic physique. The suit captured every movement as she strolled around in a circle for him to get a better view, particularly her backside as her eyes followed him and her smile becoming wider.

Angela suddenly dropped down to her knees and pulled back the hood that was attached to the neck of her suit. The hood came free and her ponytail came loose, golden stripped hair falling down around her shoulders. Her eyes still locked on his through a mess of bangs and strayed hairs and ever so slowly, she began to crawl towards him. It was slow and purposely drawn out to make him suffer, like a Y.E.T.I. playing with its wounded victim.

And how he did suffer.

His hands clenched into fists and his upper lip quivered as a long and primal like growl escaped his lips. Angela laughed softly at the sight of his aggravation, taking even more time. After what felt like eons, she reached him and her hands slid up his pant legs until her fingers hooked themselves into his belt. The alluring geneticist pulled herself forward, chest making contact with his own and their faces mere inches apart. Ratchet could feel his heart rate increase and his teeth clenched so hard he thought they would break. Angela smiled at him again and leaned to his side. He felt her lips brush past the base of his ear and he suppressed the urge to gasp. Hot breath tickled the fur and he heard her whisper his name in his ear so softly that it sent his nerves on fire.

_"Ratchet..."_

The Lombax's eyes flew open and he let out a breath he was unaware he was holding. He sat up, shaking the blankets off his body, no longer feeling cold. He felt hot and stuffy. He gripped his head in his hands and found that they were slightly shaking.

This wasn't the first time these fantasies had entered his head although this would probably be the cleanest. The warmth he felt was starting to have another effect on his body. A more _rousing_ effect and immediately he stood up, trying to find some form of distraction.

That proved to be difficult as he couldn't even see his own hand in front of his face. Ratchet sighed and rubbed his temples, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep but the Lombax of his dreams kept him awake and on edge. Little did he know that in the room just down the hall, Angela was having her own issues finding sleep.

She tossed and turned in her bed, thick blankets wrapped around her like a cocoon. Despite their thickness she still trembled as the chill wormed its way into her flesh.

_"What's the point of having fur if it won't keep you warm?"_ she asked herself.

True, the Lombax species possessed a beautiful coat of fur but due to their native home world of Fastoon being more arid and hot, it wasn't a thick coat. Angela grumbled to herself before turning again, this time on her side and tried to wiggle her way deeper into the mattress. It proved of little use as there was no warmth to be found. With a sigh of frustration, she rolled back the covers and hopped out of bed, the air practically freezing her on the spot. She wrapped a blanket from the bed around her and exited her room, the door hissing open quietly.

Angela stumbled around in the dark, not the best idea for someone as clumsy as her but she knew this house inside and out so navigating through the dark proved little challenge. She came to another door and opened it to find a supply closet. Groping her hands around inside, she felt the fabric of more sheets and pulled them out. With another bundle under her arm, she began to head back to her room when she noticed out of the corner of her eye, a faint light coming from the living room. Curious, she tip toed towards the room at the end of the hall, the light becoming slightly brighter.

She peaked around a corner and saw that the entire living room was cast in a pale silver light, illuminating everything from the Holo Screen to the outline of the front door. She could even see Clank, tucked away inside his body like some metal turtle. Her eyes shifted over to where the light was coming from and discovered the outline of her other guest's large ears pointed down towards her coffee table.

Angela tightened her blanket and she slowly crept around to the side of the couch to see what exactly was causing the light. Her eyebrows rose up in surprise when she saw that a small square device was emitting the light, a hologram projection cast up in the air. A Holo-Cube. An old Gadgetron device that was basically a holographic photo album.

Ratchet was staring at a projection of what appeared to be an enormous moon. The pale white orb rotated slowly and occasionally flickered with disturbance and over use. Her vision transferred over to Ratchet who gazed at it with a tired but relaxed visage. He suddenly blinked and his eyes found hers and she smiled at him.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey," he whispered back, a grin tugging on the corners of his muzzle.

"Can't sleep?" she asked softly. Ratchet shook his head and leaned back into the couch, rubbing one of his eyes.

"Nah. I hope I didn't wake you."

"Not at all. I was up freezing my butt off and came out here to get some extra blankets." She looked back to the Holo-Cube and studied the moon. "It's beautiful. Which one is it?"

"Veldin's," Ratchet answered. "When I was younger, I had troubles sleeping. There was always something about the planet's moon that calmed me. I guess I spent so much time staring at it and dreaming about running around the universe that it just put me to sleep."

"That's cute," Angela remarked with a giggle. Ratchet felt his cheeks burn and let himself laugh as well. There was an awkward moment of silence as neither Lombax really knew what to say to the other. Angela dug her fingers into the blanket before deciding to sit down beside him. Ratchet tried to keep his eyes from following her. "Can I ask you something, Ratchet?"

"Of course."

"Why is it that you live on Veldin?" Angela queried. "You've been to so many galaxies and planets. Isn't there someplace more…inhabited you could live?"

It was a question she always wanted to ask him. Veldin was such a desolate and barren planet with a rather small population. She remembered visiting it once with a team of geneticists to gather samples for a project and all of them couldn't wait to get off that rock. It was an odd choice for an intergalactic hero to call home.

"I get that a lot," Ratchet chuckled. "I've tried living on other planets in other galaxies but I always find myself getting homesick. I grew up on Veldin, it's my home and it's where I found Clank. That alone makes it special to me. I guess that's kind of stupid."

"No. It's not," Angela replied softly.

He smiled again before clearing his throat and leaning back into the couch. "What about you? What makes you stay in a place that'll give you frostbite in ten seconds? Megacorp is a multi-billion bolt corporation. You must be able to afford something a million times better than this."

"A fair point," Angela concurred. "Grelbin wasn't my first choice. I was assigned this place by Megacorp. They provide housing for all their employees but due to limited vacancy on Yeedil, I got stuck here."

"Shitty deal."

"Believe me, I felt the same. I wanted nothing more to leave this place, but as time went on I discovered that this planet has some hidden beauty. The Leviathan's, for instance, sometimes sing to each other in the night."

"Really?" Ratchet asked, eyebrows rising up in surprise. Angel nodded.

"It's a surprisingly beautiful sound and very soothing at times. And when the moon is high and full, the light catches the moonstones and creates an unbelievable streak of colors across the sky. I found myself enjoying these little surprises and suddenly the idea of moving to a large city where such special events are never found lost its appeal for me. I suppose it seems foolish to stay for such trivial reasons."

"Not at all. The special things are what makes home, home, no matter how trivial they seem," Ratchet assured her with another one of his award winning smiles. Angela felt herself blush again. Biting her bottom lip, she shuffled a little closer to her fellow Lombax.

"Ratchet?"

"Yeah?"

"There's…something I've always wanted to ask you, but if you don't want to answer it I completely understand," she said, slight trepidation in her voice. Ratchet tilted his head at her, face wearing a hint of curiosity.

"Um, okay. Shoot," he told her.

Angela felt an uneasy anxiety build up in her stomach. This question had been burning in the back of her mind for a long time and she never thought she would have the chance to ask him. Yet here she was, on her couch with the man that she had grown quite attached to over the last year and even long before that. Her mind spun with the possible answers that could come forward and it only worsened her nerves. But knowing that now was probably as good as a time as any, she licked her lips before finally revealing what had been stored away.

"Why didn't you ever make a move on me?"

Ratchet and Angela's relationship had started off…awkward. With the galaxy in danger from the Protopets being distributed, there wasn't much time to get to know each other. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that they didn't think much of the other. Angela thought he was childish and headstrong while Ratchet considered her uppity and, in all frankness, a bitch. But they found one another warming up to each other as their adventure continued and a strong bond of respect and friendship was formed once it was over. From that point on is when things became interesting.

She and Ratchet began to find themselves in each other's company more and more often. Those characteristics that Angela had disliked seemed to be no longer present. Instead, she found him to be warm, kind hearted, and considerate. As that time went one, she started to find her eyes had a hard time resisting the urge to look him over when he wasn't looking. It was a guilty pleasure despite its immaturity, but the female Lombax often caught him doing the same.

At some moment in time, their relationship evolved to a place where 'more than friends' was a possibility.

They had never talked about it but Angela never had any trouble reading Ratchet like a book when it came to his feelings. He was often shy around her and never really seemed confident to make a move. It was a bit of a funny irony as he was always so impulsive and blunt most times. At first she found it cute but as time went on and Ratchet continuously pulled away from her, it became frustrating. She liked Ratchet. She liked him a lot, but if he wasn't going to take that leap then she considered that staying friends was all they were meant to be.

But that notion proved to be rather difficult to abide by as she continued to give him chances and throw out hints to help him. Ratchet may not have been handling the situation as well as other men she had been involved with but there was something about him she didn't want to give up on just yet. He was different from other men and he made her feel safe. Still, the other Lombax would shy away from her. And then one day he left for Solana and never came back.

If that wasn't an indication that he didn't want to pursue any sort of romantic relationship then she didn't know what was. But Angela never really understood why he didn't. But what she did understand was that even after five years of absence; he still made her feel safe. He came all the way from a different galaxy just to fix her generator. All those wonderful traits were still there and Angela's attraction to him remained intact. That fact alone only made her anxiety deepen.

Ratchet stared at her with an awed expression. He opened his mouth to speak but failed to produce any words. Clearing his throat, he tried again.

"Wow," he breathed, fingers drumming on his knees. "Wasn't expecting that."

"I'm sorry," Angela replied, face burning with embarrassment. It was a rather straight forward question and she supposed she couldn't blame him for reacting that way. "Like I said, you don't have to say anything."

"No," Ratchet said softly, looking into her light blue eyes. "You deserve to know. In fact, it's…it's been on my mind for a while actually." Taking off his cap, he ran a hand through his head fur before meeting her gaze. Even in the flickering light of the holographic moon, she radiated beauty. Swallowing a lump in his throat, Ratchet shrugged his shoulders. "I really did like you, Angela. I liked you a lot. I just…really didn't know what I was doing I guess."

"What do you mean?" she asked gently.

"When I took a step back and looked at things, I…I don't know…I felt like you were out of my league."

"What?"

"You were a geneticist for a massive corporation that pretty much runs this whole galaxy. You were funny, smart, gorgeous, and incredibly kind. You still are," Ratchet told her earnestly. "I was an over glorified grease monkey who spent most of his free time goofing off with hover-bikes and holo-games."

Angela could only stare back at him in surprise and confusion. This was not what she expected at all. Ratchet's hands played with his cap, folding and unfolding it in an attempt to relieve the awkwardness that plagued him.

"But...I knew you liked me too. I was pretty thrilled about it. But…ah…I never tried anything because I was afraid you would realize you deserved much better when it was too late. I didn't want that for you and I didn't want it for myself. That's why I sort of disappeared when I went back to Solana. I figured you'd forget about me and find someone who could do more for you."

Ratchet's ears burned with humiliation. He had never planned on telling her any of these embarrassing truths. The furry space ace couldn't even keep eye contact with her. Angela was at a loss of words, only staring at him in shock. He could feel her eyes on him and he failed in suppressing a cringe.

"Ratchet," she finally said ever so softly, "is that how you truly felt?"

Ratchet nodded.

"There never was any league, Ratchet. I didn't care that you were a bit of a goofball or that you spent all day in motor oil and spare parts. I liked you because you weren't afraid to be yourself. Do you have any idea how much comfort I felt just being around you? Do you know how much I looked forward to my days off just so I could spend time with you?" Ratchet found the courage to meet her gaze and he winced when he saw that Angela's expression wore a slight mask of pain. "It hurt when you disappeared. I felt that maybe you didn't want me because I was too clumsy or that because we both happen to be Lombaxes that we _had_ to be together. You never gave me a reason and then I saw in the tabloids you were dating the Galactic President's daughter."

Angela fell back into the couch, looking back at Veldin's moon. Ratchet felt a surge of shame wash over him.

"So why did you think you were in her league but not mine?" Angela asked quietly, eyes meeting his again.

"I…I don't know. I never actually meant to get caught up with her," he admitted. "That…That just kind of happened. I know it's an awful excuse but that relationship turned to poison pretty quick. It did have one silver lining though."

"Which was?"

"It made me see what a fool I was for walking away from you." Angela could feel the sincerity in his voice and his face matched the tone. Ratchet leaned his head against the couch close to hers. She could feel his warm breath on her lips and she felt a shudder run through her. "I am so sorry I hurt you, Angela. That was the last thing I ever wanted to do. I should have handled it better. I should have told you but I didn't. All I can say is that I was wrong to do that to you and I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you. But…if you hate me for it, I'll understand."

"I don't hate you, Ratchet," Angela whispered. "I never did. I just didn't understand. But now that I know, there are a few things you can say to make it up to me."

"Name it."

"First; say I'm a doofus."

"I'm a doofus," he chuckled.

"Now say; I was good enough for Angela."

"I was good enough for you."

"You're still good enough for me."

Ratchet didn't repeat it. He simply gave her a startled look as he lifted his head. Angela sat up on her knees and her hands found their way to his thighs. They glided over his pants and gently squeezed, causing his fur to stand on end.

"Say it," she whispered again. Ratchet was silent for a moment before licking his lips and whispering back.

"…I'm still good enough for you."

"Are you?"

"…Yes."

Angela leaned forward, blanket sliding off her body, her face inches from his own. The cold no longer was on her mind. Again she squeezed his thighs and Ratchet's upper lip twitched. "Prove it." She spoke so softly that he barely heard her.

Looking into her eyes, Ratchet could see desire, passion, and deep affection reflect within them. They pulled him in and soon their lips touched. The kiss was short at first, as if testing the waters with each other. But each kiss lengthened, becoming longer and longer. Angela straddled his lap and Ratchet gripped at her hips, a growl coming from his throat. She sunk her body against him, curves pressing flush against his chest and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

Ratchet had a hard time deciphering whether or not this was another dream. It all seemed too good to be true. Why this amazing, sexy, and all around wonderful creature still wanted him after so long was a mystery. But he wasn't going to question it. He wouldn't dare. Ratchet's hands slid up her back, pressing her tighter against him. Angela responded by massaging the base of his right ear.

"Ratchet," she managed to sneak out between kisses. "I need…to hear something…from you…"

"Anything," he growled, attacking her lips again with his.

"Promise me…you won't run away again…"

Ratchet managed to clear away some of the haze of lust he was lost in to look her in the eyes. Her face suggested that this was no light matter and he did not expect any less. Offering a small smile, he cradled her cheek in the palm of his hand, thumb gently caressing the fur. "I promise. I'm not going anywhere this time." Angela returned his smile and kissed him deeply.

Ratchet leaned forward, placing the other Lombax on her back. His weight rested on top of her and he felt her legs wrap around his waist. Ratchet's lips soon found their way to her neck and he sucked greedily at the fur and flesh. Angela moaned softly, arching her back at the sensation. Her eyes opened slightly when a thought suddenly popped into her brain.

"Ratchet," she whispered.

"Mmm," he responded, lips traveling to the other side of her neck.

"Clank."

The Hero of Bogon stopped and craned his head over to the side where he could see his robotic companion in the glow of the Holo-Cube, still powered down. "Oh…Yeah. Good call," he whispered back. Picking her up off the couch, Ratchet surprised her with another kiss as he awkwardly made his way around the couch. "Where's your room?" he mumbled.

"To the left," she mumbled back, wanting to taste him again.

They both tripped and stumbled in the cold dark and Angela prayed she didn't fall and break something. To her delight, they had made it to her room without incident, door hissing shut behind them. Her fingers searched his body until it found the hem of his shirt. Pulling it up over his head, their lips separated for only a moment but were locked back together within seconds. Ratchet's arms squeezed her.

"Do you have a spare light? Anything?" he panted when they broke.

"I have a Megacorp Lantern in the closet. Why? What do you need?"

"I want to see you."

Those words sent a surge of heat through her body and she left his warm embrace to find the lantern. After a moment of fumbling through her closet, her fingers found the object they were searching for. Pressing a button, the room lit up so bright, she had to shield her eyes. Turning down the brightness, her bedroom now was bathed in a dim but strong enough light to make out everything. Angela set it on her night stand and turned back to Ratchet.

He stood before her shirtless now and her eyes drank up the image of his body. Hard, lean, and powerfully built. A perk no doubt from years of intergalactic battles, and one she found quite favorable. Her hands slid up his stomach, gliding over the ridges of muscle that lined his abdomen and up his chest, pectorals flexing in response to her touch. His breathing had intensified and short strong blasts left his flaring nostrils.

"Mmm, I knew you were hiding something special under that commando suit," she purred, planting a kiss on his chest. Ratchet tipped her chin up and he kissed her softly. After breaking away, his hand found its way to the zipper located at the neck on the front of her flight suit.

"Let's see what you're hiding," he hushed in her ear.

He slowly pulled the zipper down from the neck all the way to the waist. Angela pulled back her hood and untied her ponytail, hair falling across her shoulders and down her back. With hot cheeks, she moaned again when Ratchet kissed her suddenly, hands gripping at the shoulders of her suit and pulling them down. Angela felt it go past her knees and she kicked off her boots along with the rest of the suit leaving her in her bra and panties.

Ratchet wrapped his arms around her, deepening their kiss, his tail flicking back and forth. Angela sucked at his bottom lip, her hands pulling away his trousers and boxers along with them. Picking her up again, Ratchet carried her to the bed and lay her down in the sheets. Again, he returned his attention to her neck as his hands started to roam over her body.

Angela never expected Ratchet to have such a soft and gentle touch.

She had seen him in so many battles in the Megacorp games, not to mention their own adventure with the Protopets, that it was quite apparent he didn't possess a light touch. It was obvious he was a 'shoot first and ask questions later' kind of Lombax and that was a trait he was proud of. Angela assumed when came to matters of a more sensual nature, he would handle it the same way he handled an Omniwrench. Wild, uncoordinated, and harder than a Leviathan's skin. But it was an unexpected, and rather pleasant, surprise that she was wrong about him.

His fingers were loose and tender as they trailed small lines of parted fur on her stomach, the tip of his claws lightly grazing her skin and causing shivers to run through her body. His other arm was wrapped snugly around her upper back, hand squeezing her shoulder affectionately. Warm lips sucked at the flesh on her neck and Angela let herself whimper in delight. Her long slender legs were wrapped around him and she squeezed her lithe and toned body tighter against his strong and defined one. Ratchet's lips left her neck and trailed along her jaw line, Angela's hands roaming over his back.

"That Sasha was a lucky girl," she whispered, her fingers trailing over the solid dips and curves of musculature that lined his back. Ratchet chuckled softly and nibbled on the base of her ear.

"I think I'm the lucky one," he said softly, referring to her own irresistible figure.

Angela reached up and squeezed the fur on the back of his neck and pulled his head up so she could kiss him. Ratchet pressed his lips tight against her own and she felt his tongue rub across her teeth, wishing for access. Her own tongue was ready to meet his as they wrestled each other for dominance, gently pushing and occasionally flickering. Ratchet broke the kiss and gently pulled at her bottom lip with his teeth. Angela moaned and rocked her hips against him.

"Ratchet," she huffed. "I want you…now,"

She felt Ratchet's lips immediately return to hers with unmatched intensity and his hands traveled down her body and pulled down her panties. Her foot flung them away carelessly as his hands snuck their way behind her and unhooked her bra. Ratchet pulled it away and Angela pressed his head into the space between her breasts.

With a feral like growl, Ratchet sat up on his knees, bring her with him. Angela wrapped her arms around his head, her own head falling back with a gasp, gold and brown stripped hair spilling behind her like rushing water. Ratchet's strong arms crushed her against him, his face still buried in her valley. His tongue poked out from behind his teeth and left a trail of damp parted fur as he dragged it up to her throat and eventually to her lips. Their muzzles smashed together and Angela could feel herself shaking.

"Ratchet…" Her voice quivered when they separated and it sounded like the cry of a kitten.

"You're so beautiful," Ratchet panted into her ear.

"You've made me wait for so long…Ratchet, please…I…I can't wait anymore…"

"I'll never make you wait again…I'm yours."

That's all she needed to hear.

* * *

Angela awoke the next morning with the newly risen sun shining through her window. She raised her head and craned over to see the morning light through sleepy eyes. The storm was clearly over and it looked it would be a beautiful day. She let out a small moan and hugged herself closer to the warm body next to her. Her eyes opened half way as she stared at the chest that rose and fell with a slow steady rhythm. Her hand roamed over the sandy gold fur when suddenly another hand reached up and tenderly gripped her wrist.

"Mmph…That tickles," Ratchet murmured, still half asleep. Angela laughed softly and buried her face into the crook of his neck. Ratchet's arm that was wrapped around her pressed her closer to him. "How you feeling?" he asked quietly.

"Good," she sighed. "Really, really good."

"That's good. I think you bruised my pelvis."

Angela laughed again, a little harder this time and Ratchet couldn't help but chuckle along with her. They both lay in silence, relishing in the warmth of each other's embrace. Ratchet turned his body, wrapping his other arm around her and nuzzling his head against her. Angela smiled and rubbed her foot up and down his leg. Ratchet squeezed her tighter in response.

"Hey." Angela's eyes rose to find his green one looking her over with tender affection. "I know things got a little heavy last night but…I just wanted you to know that I meant everything I said. I wasn't just saying it to…you know…"

"I know," the Megacorp employee responded. "And I'm looking forward to you keeping your word."

"So am I," Ratchet mused with a sly grin. His newfound lover kissed him softly and he rolled over on top of her. The male Lombax lost his fingers in the sea of her hair as Angela dug her fingers into his back.

"Looking for another repeat of last night are we?" she smiled when they separated.

"I've always been fond of repeats," he replied, planting small kisses on her shoulder.

"Ah, you're awake."

The foreign metallic voice in the room caused both Lombaxes to freeze and snap their heads to the left. There, standing in the doorway of Angela's room, was Clank. "Good morning, Ratchet. Miss Cross," he greeted them cheerfully.

Angela let out a small yelp of surprise and instinctively pulled the sheets up tighter against her body to cover herself. But in doing so, it caused them to be torn from underneath Ratchet, sending him slipping off the other side of the bed. "Ack!" he cried out, hitting the ground with a _thud_. "Clank! What the hell are you doing?!" Ratchet yelled, stumbling back up to his feet and clutching his head.

"I simply wanted to tell you that I was able to procure breakfast for us. My apologies, Ratchet, did I interrupt something?" Clank asked with all sincerity and innocence. His optics then moved down Ratchet's body and his head tilted at an angle as if he was trying to see something. "Ratchet, are those the _stones_ Cronk and Zephyr were talking about?"

Ratchet looked down and immediately ducked behind the side of the bed, his entire face beet red. "Get out of here, Clank!" he hollered in embarrassment.

"I do not understand. Have I angered you in some way?"

"Clank," Angela said softly, causing the little robot to look her way. "Do…Do you not know why Ratchet is in my room?" Clank _must_ know the mating habits of organic lifeforms.

"I simply assumed it was to conserve body heat. With last night's drop in temperature, it would be only logical. Ratchet and Captain Qwark did the same when we locked the keys in the ship during a mission on Hoven."

"That was _nothing_ like this!" Ratchet screamed. Angela covered her mouth to stifle her laughs.

"Am I incorrect with my assumption?" Clank asked, exchanging gazes between Lombaxes.

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean…" Ratchet slapped a hand over his face and let out a tired sigh. "I'll…tell you later, pal. We'll be out in a second."

"Very well. Hurry before it gets cold," Clank informed them before exiting the room. Once he was gone, Ratchet fell back on the floor and let out a loud groan. Angela giggled and leaned over the side of the bed to see him covering his face with his hands. He peeked out from the space between his fingers and frowned.

"Not funny," he growled.

"Uh, _super_ funny actually," Angela corrected him. Ratchet continued to frown but eventually a sly grin spread across his lips as he reached up and pulled her off the bed. She let out a laugh as she crashed down on top of him.

In Angela's kitchen, Clank was busy cleaning the dirty dishes from his morning of cooking. He could hear laughing and banging echoing from Angela's room and the small droid tapped his mouth plate with a finger. It sounded like the two Lombaxes were engaged in some sort of combat. Maybe they were wrestling. One of Clank's favorite holo-vid shows was the Intergalactic Robot Wrestling Federation. It was always something he wished to try. Clank shrugged and returned his attention back to the dishes as their sounds continued.

Perhaps one day they would allow him to participate.

* * *

_A/N: NO, CLANK! IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK! I'm sure that Clank probably knows how organics reproduce but I thought this would be funnier if he was more naive to it. Well, there it is. I hadn't written a romance fic in a while and I was glad I was able to do it with these two. If anyone thinks I should move this to the M section, let me know. Cya!_


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